Drinking, driving and teaching don’t mix

Share this:

Three drunken-driving convictions, even spread out over a quarter-century, are usually enough for a license suspension and a stretch in jail. They might also affect a driver’s teaching credential.

That’s what happened to Shirley Broney, an Orange County elementary school teacher with a spotless record in the classroom but not behind the wheel.

According to a state appeals court in Sacramento, Broney had DUI convictions in 1987, 1997 and 2001. The last conviction came after police arrested her in a parking garage, where she was heading out with a blood-alcohol level of 0.25 percent, more than three times the legal limit. She was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but was allowed to serve her time at home and in the classroom while wearing an ankle bracelet.

The state Commission on Teacher Credentialing began an investigation of Broney, who had obtained her certificate in 1997. At an administrative hearing, her principal described her as talented and dedicated, and Broney’s substance abuse counselor said Broney had learned her lesson and wasn’t likely to drink and drive again.

But the commission said Broney had shown unprofessional conduct and should lose her credential for 60 days. The commission let her continue teaching, though, by suspending its order and putting her on probation for three years.

Broney appealed, saying her past transgressions as a driver had nothing to do with her fitness to teach. But the Third District Court of Appeal said it wasn’t convinced that her fifth-grade pupils could be insulated easily from their teacher’s outside misconduct.

For one thing, the court said, Broney had to wear an ankle bracelet in class for a month, which would have “adversely impacted (her) ability to earn the respect of her students.” The youngsters are at an impressionable age, and despite the assurances of the teacher and her counselor, the court said, Broney has already shown a willingness to endanger public safety and there’s no guarantee that she won’t do it again.

There’s been no comment from Broney’s lawyer, who could appeal to the state Supreme Court.